Photoflash cartridge ejector



Jan. 22, 1957 w. WELLS PHOTOFLASH CARTRIDGE EJEICTOR 3 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1952 Jan. 22, 1957 w. L. WELLS PHOTOFLASH CARTRIDGE EJECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1952 s fi a T M M. F A A m M m/ 5 1 .WW

Jan. 22, 1957 w. WELLS PHOTOFLASH CARTRIDGE EJECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed. June 25, 1952 United States Patent G PHOTOFLASH CARTRDGE EJECTOR Willis L. Wells, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Lambert Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,513

7 Claims. (CI. 89-15) This invention relates to photoflash cartridge ejectors for aircraft. This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 230,410, filed June 7, 1951, now Patent No. 2,717,533.

The importance of aerial photographic reconnaissance has led to the use of more and larger photoflash cartridges than were formerly employed. At the same. time, space and weight limitations in aircraft are becoming more and more exacting. Both within and without the aircraft it is desirable to keep the effective size of auxiliary equip ment as small as possible.

The contents of photoflash cartridges are of a highly incendiary nature, and where space and weight requirements will permit, it is desirable to provide for. a means for jettisoning the cartridges in case of emergency.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a photoflash cartridge ejector which is light, compact, simple to load and unload, and reliable.

Another object is to provide such a device having a jettisonable cartridge rack.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein separate, easily handled cartridge-loaded units may be mounted and dismounted.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.

In accordance with this invention, generally stated, a photoflash cartridge ejector is provided having a casing containing electrical firing equipment and having mounted in its heavy bottom plate or breech block, a series of electric firing plugs. Hollow posts are also mounted in the breech block and depend therefrom. The casing may contain mechanism for releasing the posts.

Cartridge-carrying racks are mounted on the posts so as to be removable therefrom at one position, and locked thereon in cartridge-firing position. At the former position the racks are dropped down below the casing, clear of the firing plugs; in the latter position, the racks are raised until the heads of the cartridges are in contact with the firing plugs. The cartridge carrying rack may be made without barrels, the cartridges being mounted in and aligned by holes in a pair of spaced plates. Means may be provided whereby until all of the racks are in cartridge-firing position, the cartridge-firing electric circuits to all of the racks are broken, or a visible or audible signal indicating the unreadiness of any rack may be given.

Means may be provided for retaining the cartridges in their racks against accidental dislodgment.

In the drawing: 1

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, that part of the view showing a cartridge rack being a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

2,778,275 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 6;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a view in perspective, partly cut away, of a photoflash cartridge ejector constructed in accordance with another-embodiment of this invention;

Figure 9 is a plan view of one embodiment of firing plug.

Figure 10 is a view in perspective of the firing plug shown in Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken along the line 1111 of Figure 9.

Referring now to Figures 1-7 of the drawings for an illustrative embodiment of this invention, 1 represents a photoflash cartridge ejector having a casing 5 and cartridge-carrying racks 25. The casing 5 is made up of a heavy breech block 6 and a box-like cover 7. An electrical outlet 8 is mounted on the cover 7.

The casing 5 houses the electrical equipment in the form of relays, and the like, necessary to the selective electrical firing of cartridges. Mounted in the breech block 6 and connected in the electrical system are firing plugs 4.. As part of the electrical system, cutout switches 9 are provided, which are spring-biased toward circuitbreaking position.

In the embodiment of firing plug shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11, a firing contact 151 extends through the center of the bottom of the firing plug. The firing contact 151 is connected electrically through a terminal 152. and biased outwardly by a spring 153. A ring 154 supported by springs carries a pair of grounding wedges 156. The ring 154 is separated from the firing contact 151 by insulating material 157 and is connected electrically to another terminal 158. The firing plugs 4 are so mounted as to permit their firing contacts 151 and grounding wedges 156 to extend beyond the breech block 6. The terminals 152 and 158 are connected to the proper wires of the electrical system.

Mounted within the breech block 6 so as to depend therefrom are hollow posts 10. Each of the hollow posts 10 is of uniform internal diameter between its upper end and an internally threaded section 11 near its lower end. The inward projection of the top threads of the threaded section 11 provides an inwardly extending shoulder 20. The lower outside edge of each post 10 is beveled at 12. Between the bevel 12 and the bottom surface of the breech block 6, the post 10 is of uniform outside diameter. At the bottom surface of the breech block 6, the outside diameter of the post 10 is reduced to provide a shoulder 13 and an intermediate reduced section 14. The shoulder 13 abuts the bottom surface of the breech block 6 while the intermediate reduced section 14 extends through a hole 26 in a breech block 6. The upper end of the intermediate reduced section 14 is externally threaded as shown at 15. A short uppermost reduced section 16 projects beyond the threaded section 15 of the intermediate reduced section 14. A large nut 23 is screwed onto the threaded section 15 and turned down tightly against a lock washer 24 resting on the upper surface of the breech block 6 to secure the post 10 to the breech block.

A T-shaped slot 17 is cut through the wall of the post 10 on one side of the post near its bottom. A stem slot 18 extends through the bottom edge of the post wall while a transverse slot 19 is so cut as to meet the inside surface of the post substantially tangentially. In the embodiment shown a notch 21 is formed in the center of the upper edge of the transverse slot 19. The outer edges of the stem slot 18 maybe chamfered. Milled in and axially along both sides of the post It at 90 from the center of the stem slot 18 are channels 22 which are milled tea depth corresponding to the radial width of the shoulder 13 and extend through the length of that part of the post 1% which depends below the breech block 6, that is, from the shoulder 13 to the bottom of the post. The side walls at the lower extremity of each channel 22 may be cut away in a fan shape.

Each of the racks 25 is provided with a base plate 39 and a top plate 31. The base plate 30 and the top plate 31 are held in spaced parallel relationship by a hollow column 32. In the embodiment shown the base plate 30 is square. Its bottom surface is flat and its upper edges are chamfered as shown at 35. In this embodiment, the base plate is provided with four symmetrically placed base plate openings of a size snugly but slidc'ably to admit the mouth of a photoflash cartridge. The upper edges of the base plate openings 36 are counter-sunk as shown at 37 to permit the ready insertion of cartridges. A center hole 38, adapted to take the lower end of the column 32 is provided. Bolt holes 39, counter-sunk in the lower surface of the base plate, are arranged on either side of the center hole 38. An upwardly projecting locking key 40 extends from the top of the base plate 30 contiguous with one edge of the base plate center hole 38.

The top plate 31 is provided with counter-bored and counter-sunk top plate openings 45 in exactly correspond ing positions to the base plate openings 36. The counterboring and counter-sinking of the top plate openings provide rims 41 and seats 42 therein. In the embodiment shown, the corners of the top plate 31 are rounded off as shown at 46. A top plate center hole 48 is adapted to receive the upper end of the column 32. Tapped bolt receiving holes 49 are positioned at opposite sides of the top plate center hole 48. Projecting from the underside of the top plate 31 and contiguous with one edge of the top plate center hole 48 is a locking key 50.

Set in from opposite outside edges of the top plate 31, in the triangular area between adjacent top plate openings 45, are plain-sided holes 51 in each of which a pin 52 is slideably mounted. Each pin 52 is provided with an enlarged head 53. The head 53 of the pin 52 rests in a counter-bored hole 54 in a keeper 55. The keeper 55 is a triangular piece of metal so formed as to project over the tops of adjacent top plate openings 45 when in one position, and to clear top plate openings 45 when turned through 180, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2. The keeper 55 is provided with a small dimple in its underside into which a detent, set in the top surface of the top plate 31, extends when the keeper is in its top plate opening covering position. In order to permit the rotation of the keeper 55 but to maintain it in position, the head of pin 52 is spring-biased against the keeper. To that end, a washer 56 is mounted on the lower end of the pin 52 by any well known means. A spring, mounted around the pin 52 and bearing against the bottom surface of the top plate 31, bears against the top surface of the washer 56. As is shown in Figure 3, the underside of the breech block 6 is cut away at 27 to accommodate the keeper 55 and keeper pin head '53, to permit the remain der of the upper surface of the top plate 31 to meet the bottom surface of the breech block 6.

At a .distance from each end of the column 32 corresponding to the thickness of the base plate 30 and top plate 31, respectively, are lower collar 57 and upper collar 58 which may be integral with the column 32. The collars 57 and 53 are notched at one point to receive the locking keys 40 and 50 respectively. It can be seen that the positioning of the notches in the collars and the locking keys on the plates determine the alignment of the top and base plates. The locking keys 40 and 50 prevent any rotational displacement of the top and base plates. In order to secure the top and base plates against axial displacement, semi-circular yokes 59 and 60 are provided. Each of the yokes 59 and 60 is provided at the inner side of its under surface with a semi-circular recess 61 no deeper than the axial thickness of the collars 57 and 58. A locking key receiving notch 62 is provided in the same surface of the yokes as the semi-circular recess 61. A bolt hole 63 is provided in each wing of the yokes 59 and 60 and is aligned when the yokes 59 and 60 are positioned to embrace half of the column 32 and with the locking key receiving notch 62 engaging the locking key, with a base plate bolt hole 39 or top plate bolt receiving hole 4-9 as the case may be. 111 securing the top plate 31 in the embodiment shown, round-headed screw bolts 64 pass through bolt holes 63 in the top plate yoke 60 and take into the tapped bolt receiving holes 49. They are normally supplied with lock washers to ensure that they do not work loose. In securing the base plate 31), counter-sunk headed screw bolts 65 pass through base plate bolt holes 39 and bolt holes 63 in base plate yoke 69 and are secured by lock nuts 66.

A stud 70 projects from the inside surface of the column 32 near the upper end thereof. The stud 70 is of a diameter only sufficiently smaller than the width of a channel 22 in the post 10 to allow a sliding fit of the stud within the channel. The stud 70 is, of course, shorter radially oi" the column than the depth of the channel 22.

Extending axially through the center of the column 32 is a shaft 75. The central section of the shaft is of a uniform diameter, slightly less than that of the internal diameter of the threaded section 11 of a post It). The upper end 74 of the shaft 75 is reduced. A sleeve 76, the outside diameter of which is the same as that ofthe central section of the shaft 75 and the inside diameter of the lower end of which is such as to give a tight fit over the reduced upper end 74 of the shaft 75 is mounted on the reduced end of the shaft 75 and pinned thereon with a rivet '77. The wall of the sleeve 76 is abruptly thickened toward its upper end to provide a rim 78. A stop member 80 is mounted within the sleeve 76. The stop member 80 consists of a disk-like head 81 and a stem 82 depending therefrom. The lower end of the stem 82 is externally threaded. A passage 83 extends axially of the stem 82 and through the center of the head 81. The outside diameter of the stem 82 is such as to give a sliding fit with the thick-walled portion of the sleeve 76,-through which the stem extends. A nut 84 provides a bearing surface on the lower end of the stem 82 against which a spring 85 bears. The other end of the spring -85 bears against the rim 78 of the sleeve 76. The spring 85 may take the form of 'a series of rubber rings, the topmost of which bears against the rim 78 and the lowermost :of which bears on the upper surface of the nut 84. A rigid rod 87 is fixed in the upper end of the shaft .75, extends through the passage 83 in the stop member 80 and projects a short distance above the upper surface of the head 81. The diameter of the passage 83 is such as to permit movement of the stop member 80 with respect to the rod 8'7. Toward the lower end of the shaft '75 is an enlarged threaded shaft section 90. The threads on the threaded shaft section 90 are complementary to the threads of the internally threaded section 11 of the post 10. Below the threaded section 90 the shaft 75 resumes its intermediate diameter for a short distance. At its lower end the shaft 75 is reduced to form a depending solid nipple 92. The nipple 92 is threaded and is drilled diametrically.

A mechanism is provided whereby the shaft '75 is rotatably mounted in the column 32 to enable the threaded shaft section 90 to screw into the internally threaded section 11 of a .post It), but normally to be locked against rotation. To that end, the column 32 is provided at its lower end with a bushing 95, secured within the column by a pair of bolts 94 {taking through holes at opposite sides of the column into tapped holes 96 in the bushing. The inner wall of the bushing is stepped in two stages, being thinnest at the top and thickest at the bottom of the bushing. The first of these steps forms a ledge 97. The second and lowermost step is provided with a nosing 98. Near the top of the bushing 95 above the ledge 97 in the inner wall of the bushing is a circumferential groove 99.

Mounted on the end of the shaft 75 around the nipple 92 is an inverted cup-shaped skirt 102. The outer vertical face of the skirt serves as a bearing surface against the inside wall of the bushing 95 between the ledge 97, upon which the lower edge of the skirt 102 normally bears and the groove 99. The vertical length of the skirt 102 is sufliciently less than the distance between the ledge 97 and the groove 99 to permit the insertion within the bushing above the skirt of a rubber O ring 103 immediately above the skirt, a washer 104 above the ring 103, and a snap ring 105 within the groove 99, to maintain the washer and O ring in position and to limit the upward movement of the shaft 75 with respect to the bushing 95. A hollow cylinder 106, internally threaded at its upper end is screwed on the nipple 92 to bear tightly against the skirt 102 to hold the shirt in place. The cylinder 106 is pinned to the nipple 92 through the diametric hole therein. The cylinder 106 is provided on opposite sides with axially extending slots 107 through the cylinder wall intermediate its ends. The cylinder 106 extends beyond the nosing 98, and its projecting end is shaped to fit a socket wrench.

Slideably mounted around the cylinder 106 is a geartooth-carrying gear sleeve 110. Slideably mounted within the cylinder 106 is a button 111. A pin 112 connects the gear sleeve 110 and the button 1'11 through the slots '107 in the wall of the cylinder 106. Gear teeth 11'3 extend circumferentially around the gear sleeve 110. The gear teeth 113 normally rest on the upper edge of the nosing 98 and are engaged by a lock screw 115 projecting into the bushing 95 through a tapped hole in the wall of the bushing. A spring 116 bears against the inside horizontal surface of the skirt 102 at one end and against the top of the gear teeth 113 at the other, to bias the gear sleeve 110 downwardly against the nosing 98. The button 111 extends below the bottom of the cylinder 106 a distance at least as great as that between the nosing 98 and the uppermost point at which the lock screw 115 engages a gear tooth 113.

Referring now to Figure 8 for another embodiment of this invention an empty rack 225 is shown in position to be removed from a depending post 210, while another rack 225 is shown as loaded with cartridges 215, and in cartridge firing position. The construction of the column 32 and all of the mechanism contained therein is the same as that of the embodiment of Figures 1-7. The construction of the racks 225 of the embodiment shown in Figure 8 difiers from that 'of the embodiment shown in Figures l-7 only in that the base plate 230 and the top plate 231 are provided with a greater number of cartridge-admitting openings, and are connected not only by the central column 32 but by four spacers 235. The spacers 235 simply assure the alignment of the top and base plates and increase the rigidity of the rack. It may also be convenient to provide different cartridge retaining means from the keeper shown in the first described embodiment. For example, a long locking bar, slideably mounted in a groove in the top surface of the top plate 231 may be used to retain all of the cartridges in one lengthwise extending row. In Figure 8 no cartridge retaining means are shown. The post 210 is identical in construction with the post 10 of the embodiment of Figures l7 except that instead of being externally threaded at its upper end, it is provided with a heavy eye 240. Extending through the eye 240 of each of the posts 210 is a wedge-shaped locking bar 241. Each of the locking "bars 241 is pivotally connected at one end to a lever 242. Each lever 242 is pivoted near its center about a fulcrum 243. A link 244 is pivotally connected to the other end of the lever 242. Each link 244 is biased by a spring 245 in a direction which tends to pull the wedge-shaped locking bar 241 from the post eye 240 so as to release the post 210 from the breech block 6. The spring 245 is of sufiicient strength to pull the locking bar from the eye. All of the links 244 are restrained from movement to the post-releasing position by a solenoid operated trigger 246.

In the operation of the embodiment shown in Figures l-7, assume that a rack 25 is empty and is removed from the remainder of the device. The casing 1 is mounted within an airplane, usually at a distance from the undersurface of the part of the airplane in which the casing is mounted (generally the belly of the plane) such that the bottom surface of the base plates 30, when the racks are mounted in cartridge firing position, are flush with the surface of the plane. The keepers 55 are in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Cartridges are simply slipped through the top plate openings 45 and into the base plate openings 36 directly below them so that the mouth of each cartridge extends within the base plate openings 36, while the head of the cartridge is seated in the seat 42 of a top plate opening 45. When thus seated, the heads of the cartridges are substantially flush with the upper surface of the top plate 31. The pin 52 of each keeper 55 is then manually raised against bias of its spring and the keeper 55 is swung around to the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 where the dimple in the bottom of the keeper is engaged by the detent in the face of the top plate 31. In that position, the arms of the keeper extend over the heads of the cartridges to prevent their accidentally slipping out, if the rack should be inverted.

The loaded rack is then ready for mounting on a post 10 of the ejector. The head 81 of the stop member is slid into the transverse slot 19 of the T-slot 17, while the stem 82 of the stop member 80 passes within the stern slot 13. The projecting rigid rod 87 is admitted by the notch 21. When the head 81 is wholly within the post 10 the rack 25 is supported by the inwardly extending shoulder 20 upon which the head 81 rests. The rack may now be raised-vertically, being properly oriented with respect to the breech block by the taking of the stud 70 into one of the channels 22. The locating of a channel 22 with respect to the stud 70 is facilitated by the fan-shaped cutout section at the lower end of eachchannel. The raising of the rack 25 can continue until the externally threaded section 90 of the shaft 75 meets the internally threaded section 11 of the post 10.

In order to free the shaft 75 for rotation, in order to engage its threaded section 90 with the posts threaded section 11, the button 111 must be pushed upwardly against the bias of the spring 116 until the gear teeth 113 clear the lock screw 115. This is accomplished automatically by using a relatively shallow socket wrench, the bottom of which bears against the button 111. When such a wrench is shoved against the button and around the polygonal shank 108 to engage the faces of that shank, the gear teeth 113 are raised above the lock screw 115, and the shaft '75 may be turned with the wrench to raise the rack to cartridge-firing position.

In this position, the heads of the cartridges contact the firing contacts 151 and grounding wedges 156 which extend beyond the breech block 6. The cartridges are so constructed as to present concentric conducting areas corresponding to the firing pin and grounding wedges of the firing plugs. The concentric areas of each cartridge are also insulated from one another at the cartridge head and are connected through the detonator of the cartridge. The provision of the spring biased firing contacts and grounding wedges assures a properly closed circuit, since the give of the spring provides a considerable latitude in the vertical position of the cartridges.

As the shaft 75 rises in the post 10 to the cartridge firing position of the rack the rigid rod 87 meets the spring biased finger of the cutout switch 9 to throw that switch to circuit-making position. If the circuit to which the switch 9 is connected is the main firing circuit, it can be seen that the failure of any rack to reach cartridge firing position will immobilize the entire firing system. On the other hand if the cutout switch 9 is in a signal lamp circuit the lighting of a lamp will signal the readiness of the rack. When the socket wrench is removed, the gear sleeve 110 and the button 111, which is connected thereto, are biased downwardly. if it should happen that a gear tooth is directly over the lock screw 115 so as to prevent the engagement of a pair of teeth by the lock screw 115, no harm will be done because a slight rotation of the shaft 75 in either direction will permit the gear sleeve 110 to snap down into locked position.

In removing a rack from cartridge-firing position a socket wrench of the same description as that used in the tightening operation must be employed, since the button 111 must be raised to permit the gear teeth 113 to clear the lock screw 115. The shaft '75 is simply rotated to unscrew the threaded portion 90 of the shaft from the threaded portion 11 of the post. If, in this operation, the rack should drop when the threads are disengaged, the force of the flow resulting when the head 81 meets the shoulder is cushioned by the up ward movement of the stop member lid against the rubber rings 85, and also by the movement of the shaft to bring the upper surface of the skirt 162 against the O ring 103. The provision of the O ring 163 also serves to keep the shaft '75 aligned since it permits a certain amount of lateral play in the upper end of the shaft with respect to the column 32 without producing a permanent distortion.

When the posts 210 are in place, the loading and mounting of the racks 225 in the embodiment of this invention shown in Figure 8 is exactly the same as that of the racks of the embodiment shown in Figures l7. The racks of the embodiment shown in Figure 8 are useful for cartridges of less weight than those used in the embodiment of Figures 1-7.

In the mounting of the posts 219, the two embodiments differ. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the posts 210 are positioned for mounting, and the wedge-shaped locking bars 241 are slid into the eyes 249 against the bias of the springs 245 to hold the posts 21th in place. The trigger mechanism is such as to maintain the locking bars, i. e., to restrain the movement of the links 244, until the trigger operating solenoid is energized. When the trigger operating solenoid is energized the trigger 2 26 releases the links 24-4, the springs 245 rock the lovers 242 about their fulcrums 243 to pull the locking bars 241 from the eyes 240 of the posts 210, and the entire posts and racks drop from the plane.

The jettisoning mechanism of the embodiment shown in Figure 8 may be adapted to use with more or less than two posts, and the racks used therewith may resemble those of the embodiment shown in Figures 1-7. Numerous other arrangements of rack openings, such as rows of threes or any other numerical arrangement may be used, the main considerations being that the loaded racks are balanced and not too heavy for handling. Whatever arrangement is used, a firing plug must be provided for each cartridge.

Numerous other variations in the construction of this device, within the scope of the claims, will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure. For example, the cushioning stop member 80 may be eliminated, and a fixed head and stem used. The switches 9 may be normally biased toward circuit-making position, so as to extinguish a light or silence a buzzer when the racks are .in cartridgefiring position. The switches may be separately connected to give a signal for each .rack. The form of the postsand central v ol mns may e v rie and the raisin and releasing mechanism may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Thus itcan be seen that a photofiash cartridge ejector is provided which is compact, requiring only a space outside an airplane approximately as deep as the height of a cartridge, which provides for the loading of ,conveniently small rack units, which is simple, can be made jettisonable and is light.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A photoflash cartridge ejector comprising a breech block, cartridge-firing means mounted on said breech block, a cartridge rack-supporting post carried by said breech block and depending therefrom, and a cartridgecarrying rack removably mounted on said post, the

- cartridge-carrying rack comprising a top plate, a base plate, a hollow column extending between said top plate and said base plate and proportioned slideably to embrace the rack supporting post, and a shaftextending axially along and rotatably mounted within said column, said shaft having an externally threaded section, the cartridge rack-supporting post being hollow, open at its lower end, having an inside diameter sufficient slideably to receive the said shaft, and having an internally threaded section complementary with the externally threaded section of said shaft, said shaft and said column being so arranged that the progressive engagement of their respective threaded sections serves to move the rack to a position at which a cartridge in the rack is engaged by a cartridge-firing means on said breech block.

2. A photoflash cartridge ejector comprising a breech block, cartridge-firing means mounted on said breech block, a cartridge rack-supporting post carried by said breech block and depending therefrom, and a cartridgecarrying rack removably mounted on said post, the cartridge-carrying rack comprising a top plate, a base plate, a hollow column extending between said top plate and said base plate and proportioned slideably to embrace the rack-supporting post, a shaft extending axially along and rotatably mounted within said column and means for releasably locking said shaft against rotation, said shaft having an externally threaded section, the cartridge rack-supporting post being hollow, open at its lower end, having an inside diameter sufiicient slideably to receive thesaid shaft, and having an internally threaded section complementary with the externally threaded section of said shaft, said shaft and said column being so arranged that the progressive engagement of their respective threaded sections serves to move the rack to a position at which a cartridge in the rack is engaged by a cartridge-firing means on said breech block.

3. A photofiash cartridge ejector comprising a breech block, cartridge-firing means and an electric switch mounted on said breech block, a cartridge rack-supporting post carried bysaid breech block and depending therefrom, and a cartridge-carrying rack removably mounted on said post, the cartridge-carrying rack comprising a top plate, a base plate, a hollow column extending between said top plate and said base plate and proportioned slideably to embrace the rack-supporting post, and a shaft extending axially along and rotatably mounted within said column, said shaft having an externally threaded section, the cartridge rack-supporting post being hollow, open at its lower end, having an inside diameter sufiicient slideably to receive the said shaft, and having an internally threaded section complementary with the externally threaded section of said shaft, said shaft and said column being so arranged that the progressive engagement of their respective threaded sections serves to move the rack to a position at which a cartridge in the rack is engaged by a cartridge-firing means on said breech block, the upper end of said shaft operatively engaging said electric Switch when the said rack is fully the post and the rack supported by said post may be jettisoned. v

5. A photoflash cartridge ejector comprising a breech block, cartridge-firing means mounted on said breech block, a cartridge rack-supporting post carried by said breech block and depending therefrom, and a cartridgecarrying rack removably mounted on said post, the cartridge-carrying rack comprising a top plate, a base plate, a hollow column extending between said top plate and said base plate and proportioned slideably to embrace the rack-supporting post, and a shaft extending axially along and rotatably mounted within said column, said shaft having an externally threaded section, and having a head at its upper end projecting beyond the upper end of said column and the top surface of the top plate, said head being of a diameter greater than the unthreaded section of said-shaft, the cartridge racksupporting post being hollow, and having an open end, said open end being restricted to a size suflicient to admit the unthreaded portion of said shaft except for said head, said post having a T-slot the stem of which is proportioned to admit the shaft immediately below the head and extends axially through said restricted open end, and the transverse slot of which is proportioned to admit said head above said'restriction, the internal diameter of the post above. said restriction being such as to slideably receive said head, said post having an internally threaded section complementary with the externally threaded section of said shaft, said shaft and said column being so arranged that the progressive engagement of their respective threaded sections serves to move the rack toward the cartridge-firing means on the breech block to a position at which a cartridge in the rack is engaged by a cartridge-firing means on said breech block.

6. In an aircraft photoflash cartridge ejector in which tween a position at which the heads of the cartridges in the rack are remote from said casing and a position at which the heads of the cartridges are immediately adjacent said casing, the improvement in firing means comprising a multiplicity of contact plugs each positioned to be operatively associated with one of said cartridges, each of said contact plugs having a body of insulating material, a firing contact projecting from said body and being connected electrically to a firing contact terminal, said firing contact being slidably mounted within said plug and spring-biased in a direction away from said plug, and a grounding wedge spaced from said firing contact, projecting from the said body and being electrically connected to a grounding wedge terminal, said grounding wedge being slidably mounted within said plug and springbiased in a direction away from said plug, said firing contact and firing contact terminal being insulated from said grounding wedge and grounding wedge terminal within said plug body, said firing contact and said grounding wedge extending-beyond the casing of the ejector and engaging the head of a cartridge when the rack is moved to its position immediately adjacent said casing.

7. In an aircraft photoflash cartridge ejector of the type in which a multiplicity of cartridges are carried for selective ejection, the improvement which comprises a casing, cartridge firing means mounted within the said casing, said cartridge firing means including'contact plugs each having a spring-biased firing contact and a springbiased grounding wedge insulated from one another and extending beyond said casing, and a rack, constructed to carry said cartridges, mounted on said casing for movement, when loaded with cartridges, between a position at which the heads of the cartridges in the rack are remote from said casing and a position at which the headsof the cartridges are immediately adjacent said casing, each of said cartridges being brought into operative engagement with the firing contact and grounding wedge of one of said contact plugs when said rack is positioned adjacent said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,941 Imber et a1 Aug. 24, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,877 France Oct. 5, 1923 707,515 France April 14, 1931 712,618 Germany Nov. 13, 1941 

